York Peppermint Cookies

My boy has been having a rough couple of days at work and I thought he was in desperate need of a small pick me up.  So I thought a freshly baked batch of cookies would be a nice surprise for him to wake up to.  And for the record....he wakes up for work at 11PM so cookies are totally allowed at that time!

I went with the York Peppermint Patty pieces because...well....they were near the register when I was leaving work. Haha I like when life makes decisions for you.  Otherwise I would have been in severe anguish trying to decided what flavor of cookie to make him.  I'm totally one of those people who has a clear set opinion and decision on the big things in life.....but the small things will stress me out to the point of shit cramps.  Asking me where I want to eat is the all-time worst question ever to ask a non decision maker like me.
Anyways.....

York Peppermint Cookies it is!  All I did was use my old standby M&M Cookie recipe and swap out the M&Ms for the York Pieces.  With all the cool flavors they have now like Almond Joy Pieces you can come up with whatever flavor cookie you like! 

Start by creaming together your shortening and sugar.  You could certainly use butter if you prefer but I almost always use butter flavored shortening when I bake.  I love that you get the flavor of butter but the convenience of shortening for a lazy....errr....I prefer impatient, girl like me.  I hate having to remember to pull out butter earlier in the day to get it to the right temperature.  Then, since I have forgotten and I want to bake NOW I try to speed it up in the microwave and over melt it and that makes for a crappy cookie!  OR it could go the completely  other way.  I could remember to pull out the butter but since I live in AZ (also known as the Swamp Ass State)  it gets melty after sitting on the counter for more than 10 mins.  Using shortening takes all the pressure off!  And it gives a texture that I absolutely love!

Really cream it together well.  I know I mentioned this in another post but I think it's important enough to bring up again.  I used to just barely mix the two together, but that is allllll wrong! You want your mixer to run for a few minutes.  Let it get nice and fluffy.  You're looking for whatever your creaming to get lighter.  No matter how the color is starting off depending on your ingredients.....brownish.....yellowish...... you want it to get alot lighter in color....and fluffy.....don't forget fluffy!

Did you get that it should be fluffy?

Then mix in your eggs and vanilla.  Mix the dry ingredients together and then add it to your wet ingredients and mix well.  Add in your "Pieces" and just barely stir in so they don't get broken up.  You can reserve some if you want to stick them on top for presentation.  You can makes these as either drop cookies or you can roll them into balls.

I prefer to roll them.  Bake at 350 for 9 mins.  I guess if you want to get technical you COULD cook them longer, but I have a strict personal 9 minute rule.  I never bake any cookie past 9 minutes....or maybe 10.  I like a soft cookie...sometimes even gooey! Mmmmm.  But if you are a crunchy girl you could cook these up to 11, 12 minutes.

Candy Cookies

2 1/2 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 C. Butter Flavored Shortening
2 Eggs
2 Tsp. Vanilla
2 1/2 C. Flour
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 C. Candy of choice

Cream together shortening and sugar.  Add in eggs and vanilla.  Combine all dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients.  Mix well.  Carefully stir in candy as to not break them up.  Reserve some to press on top if you wish.  Drop by spoonfuls or roll into balls.  Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes.

I always make my cookies on the small side.  A sort of 2.5 biter for the average sized chick mouth.  A guy could probably inhale 2 at once.  I yield about 36 smaller cookies.  I HATE how recipes always tell you that you will get 72......because who the hell EVER DOES?  Seriously??? You have to be making some Barbie sized cookies to get 72 out of one batch!